KEIZER, Ore. — The Everett AquaSox nursed a lead for eight innings, but the Sox defense committed two errors in the ninth that allowed two unearned runs as the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes escaped with a 3-2 walk-off win on Saturday.
Volcanoes designated hitter Craig Missoni hit a bloop single off reliever Cruz Pereira that ticked off the glove of Sox rightfielder Sheehan Planas-Arteaga to score Johneshwy Fargas with the winning run with two outs.
Losing pitcher Kody Kerski (0-1) allowed a game-tying RBI triple to Fernando Pujadas with one out that scored Ryan Jones who had reached on an error. Pujadas also drove in the Volcanoes’ first run the fifth inning and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.
The late-inning miscues wasted a solid start by Everett’s Noel De La Cruz.
De La Cruz threw five innings, allowing one run and three hits. The right-hander kept the ball low in the strike zone and induced nine groundball outs.
Sox leadoff hitter Austin Cousino reached base three times and played a part in Everett’s two runs.
Cousino led off the game with a walk and eventually scored on Phillips Castillo’s sacrifice fly.
The Everett centerfielder then doubled home Luis Caballero in the fourth to give the Sox a 2-0 lead.
But Sox hitters had a tough time making contact, striking out 15 times against Volcanoes pitching and Everett (2-7) managed just two baserunners over the final five innings against the Salem-Keizer bullpen.
Reliever Ian Gardeck (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning for the Volcanoes (4-5).
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